


Truths and Deceptions

by jedipati



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Amnesia, Father-Son Relationship, Galactic Civil War, Gen, Post-Star Wars: A New Hope, as a trope, pretend amnesia
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-19
Updated: 2019-07-22
Packaged: 2020-01-16 17:51:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 7,091
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18526573
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jedipati/pseuds/jedipati
Summary: A year and a half after he destroyed the Death Star, Luke Skywalker was trapped, and captured by Darth Vader.  In a desperate attempt to save his life, Luke pretends not to remember anything after buying a certain pair of droids.  Vader, on the other hand, hopes that he can use the probably temporary amnesia to show Luke how much he cares for his son.  Luke just thinks Vader is taking advantage of the situation.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is because of a post on tumblr. Kyraneko made a request for Luke pretending to have amnesia, Vader believing it, and Luke not believing Vader's family revelation. This is what came of it. I can't get the link to look pretty, but it can be found here. http://kyraneko.tumblr.com/post/184258007566/a-story-i-want

Luke Skywalker ducked down as a nearby terminal exploded. He had been with a team of commandos trying to get information from a lightly manned Imperial station, when the “lightly” part had turned out to be wrong.

His team had gotten split up, and he knew at least three of them were dead. The rest had gotten out. He’d been trapped and as he felt an unfortunately familiar cold wave in the Force, he made a snap decision.

“Captain Caplin”, he said into his comm.

“Sir?”

“Vader’s here, I’m not going to escape,” Luke said. He was calm about it. He knew he was about to die, and yet, his death would mean his team would get away.

“You sure, sir?” Caplin asked.

“He’s unique in the Force, Captain,” Luke said. “Go, I’ll delay the troopers as long as possible. May the Force be with You.”

“Force be with you, sir,” Caplin said, and Luke could hear the muted grief in his voice.

Luke clicked his comm off and turned to the door. He could and would continue to do damage to the station. He wasn’t a Jedi, but he had the Force.

And he was a rebel, he wasn’t about to give in.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Darth Vader had been annoyed at the reports of a rebel incursion at a nearby information station, until the Executor had slid into orbit. Once in orbit, he could feel the boy.

Luke was here. He smiled behind his mask and ordered the ground assault. 

Halfway to the base, Vader felt Luke’s sense flicker, and he knew the boy had felt him. Vader tried to reach out to the boy, but Luke either didn’t hear him or didn’t want to respond. The boy seemed to make a decision and Vader felt his determination spike.

And the boy desperately needed to shield, had no one ever taught him? Vader knew no one had, there was no one to teach him, not anymore. Even if Obi-Wan had had him for nearly twenty years, and Vader still didn’t understand Luke’s lack of training.

Still, Luke was up to something, and given his rebel tendencies, that something was no good. 

Just as they landed, another ship shot up into orbit. Vader felt Luke’s satisfaction and fatalistic resignation both, and decided not to order the ship shot down. Luke was clearly trying to sacrifice himself in order to save his men, and Vader was in a good enough mood to grant Luke that victory.

Vader gave the order to disperse his men, and ordered that the weapons be set on stun. His son was not going to get the chance to sacrifice himself. Vader concentrated for a moment before heading toward where he knew Luke was.

Vader knew Luke had felt him, and could feel him getting closer. Luke was still doing nothing to hide his presence. 

After a few minutes, as Vader stalked down the battle damaged corridors, Luke’s sense changed. The boy was in combat, and drawing recklessly on the Force.

Vader continued farther into the station. He was on the most direct, quickest path to reach his son, and he would get to him soon enough. 

Luke was, from what Vader could sense, doing well, and Vader decided not to reach out to him. He didn’t want Luke distracted, not when distraction could prove fatal.

Vader pulled his lightsaber off his belt as he heard chaos ahead of him. Another lightsaber, stun shots, shouts, and at least one blaster firing full power.

Vader entered the large hanger where the worst of the noise was coming from. The squad following him spread out behind him and covered the room.

Luke was backed into one corner, clearly by choice. He was defended on two sides by walls, and had shoved a crate in front to provide some cover. And he was using his lightsaber to defend himself as well.

He looked over at Vader, and rather than panicking, he felt grimly satisfied.

He ducked down enough that he was mostly covered by the crate and holstered his blaster.

Vader had a sudden premonition on what Luke was about to do, but before he could stop the boy, Luke pulled a detonator from his belt and triggered it.

The half of the bay closest to them blew up. Vader had a bare second to react, but he wrapped the Force around himself, around Luke, around as many of his troops as he could. 

He could feel Luke’s astonishment as the fire didn’t touch him before he felt sudden pain in the boy’s sense. As the fire died down, Vader saw Luke collapse, a piece of debris falling next to his head.

Once Vader was sure the worst of the danger was over he rushed over to the boy. Luke was conscious, and his hand was reaching for his lightsaber, which he’d dropped.

Vader gently picked up the hilt and hooked it on his belt. Luke was wearing an Imperial Lieutenant’s uniform so that would make things that much easier. “Be still, Luke,” Vader ordered as he looked back at his men, most of whom were getting back on their feet, not terribly surprised to find themselves unhurt.

“Commander Appo, see to it that he is treated well,” Vader ordered. “He is not to be harmed.”

“Yes sir,” Appo said. Vader smiled. He could trust his men with Luke. He looked down at Luke again.

Luke blinked up at him, clearly uncomprehending “Who…” he trailed off as his eyes fluttered closed and he went lax. 

Vader would have panicked, but Luke’s sense in the Force merely slid into unconsciousness. 

That last word, though, worried Vader. His son knew very well who he was.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Luke slowly woke up, somewhat surprised to wake up. He knew Vader had captured him, why was he still alive? And why wasn’t he in pain? He was lying down on a firm bed, and he could smell bacta in the air. He could hear people moving around, beeps from machines, and the air was slightly cool. 

All that told him he was in a med bay. He listened, and the voices he could hear were clearly using Imperial phrases. He was still in Imperial hands, and that was not good.

Luke’s head still ached, though he had a feeling it was not nearly as bad as it could have been.

Vader’s cold Force sense probed at the edges of his perception and that told Luke that the other man knew Luke was waking up.

Luke slowly opened his eyes and pushed himself up. He slumped back down as the movement set off a pounding headache.

To his surprise, he was not restrained. That didn’t stop the nearest medic from hurrying over to his side. “Be careful, sir,” the unfamiliar man said. He gently caught Luke and eased him so he was leaning against the back of the bed. “Are you alright?”

“Head hurts,” Luke said.

The medic nodded. He was an older man, with a full white beard and hair kept short. “You have a concussion,” he said. “From when the rebels set off the explosion.”

Luke frowned in confusion. “The rebels…?” he asked. As far as he knew, he had set off the explosion- and he’d been the only rebel left.

“Yes sir!” The medic said. “Lord Vader believes they got away in the confusion, but don’t worry, sir, we’ll flush them out.”

Luke settled for a confused frown. “Where am I?”

The medic nodded. “You’re in the officer’s medbay on board the Executor, Lieutenant. I’m Medic Coric, Lord Vader asked me to keep an eye on you. I’m with his 501st.” 

No things were not making any sense at all. But a plan was forming, one that might keep him alive long enough to escape. “Lord Vader?” he asked.

“Yes, of course. This is his flagship,” Coric said.

Luke blinked at him. He really didn’t understand, and the confusion was not getting any better.

The door behind Coric opened, and Vader walked in. Luke only didn’t tense because he knew it would hurt. He eyed the other Force user with curiosity. As far as he knew, Vader never kept Force users alive, so why was he still breathing?

“Coric, report,” Vader said.

“The Lieutenant is recovering from the explosion, but he displaying confusion and perhaps some memory loss, my Lord” Coric said. “I haven’t had time to do a full diagnostic since he woke up.”

Luke made a snap decision at those words. He was going to bluff his way through this.

Vader inclined his head. “You may see to him after I speak with him, Coric,” Vader said. “Ensure we have privacy for this talk.”

Coric nodded and withdrew, triggering a privacy shield. The other voices cut off and it was just Luke and Vader in the room. For a moment, the only sound was Vader’s breathing.

Then Vader reached out, and almost as if he was startled by it, allowed his hand to drop. “You will recover, young one?” he asked.

“I… I guess,” Luke said. “Why… what’s going on?” he asked.

“What do you remember about the fight?” Vader asked.

“The fight?” Luke responded. “I… I don’t…” he frowned. He really had no idea what was going on, so the confusion was only helping his bluff.

“Luke, are you alright?” Vader asked.

Luke blinked up at him. Why was he using Luke’s given name? “Is… I don’t know what’s going on,” he said. “Why I’m on a star ship, why that medic’s calling me a Lieutenant, anything.”

Vader’s voice, somehow, softened. “Luke, what’s the last thing you remember?”

Luke made a decision. “I was at home, I had just finished cleaning a couple of droids my uncle bought,” he said. “I don’t…”

Vader made a strange sound, one Luke couldn’t recognize. “I see,” he said. “Luke, we have a lot to talk about.”

Luke tilted his head. “First… who are you?”

Vader seemed to think something over for a long moment. “My current name is Darth Vader,” he finally said. “But that is not my birth name.”

Luke longed to reach out into the Force, but the pounding in his head told him it would be a bad idea. “Ok…” he drew out, because he would have, if he was still that farmboy, and not a rebel commander.

Vader paused. “My birth name was Anakin Skywalker.”

And Luke didn’t have to try to hide his shock. He had not expected that. “You’re saying…”

“Yes, my son,” Vader said. “I am your Father.”

And even without the Force, Luke could hear the satisfaction in Vader’s tone.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Luke blinked at him in shock. Vader wished his son remembered the events since he’d left Tatooine, but perhaps it was better this way. There was nothing of their past confrontations that could interfere with the relationship they could develop.

Luke would be able to accept him easier this way.

“My father?” Luke asked, quietly, disbelieving. “Then why…?”

“Luke, understand I only found out you were alive a year ago, and I’ve been searching for you since I learned,” he paused again. “And, assuming I know which droids you are talking about, you’ve lost nearly a year and a half of memory.”

Luke’s eyes widened. “You didn’t know…”

“If I had known, I would have found you before now,” Vader said. “You are my son, and I have already missed far too much.” He reached out again, and gently set his hand against Luke’s cheek. “You look so much like your mother,” he said quietly.

Vader felt Luke’s surprise again. “My mother?” Luke asked. 

Vader nodded once. “Yes, my son,” he said. He rejoiced that he could call Luke that, that he could claim his son. He stepped back. “We will talk more, but first, let Coric take care of you.”

Luke nodded, still looking shocked. 

Vader could understand that. It had taken him some time to come to terms with the idea that his son had survived, and Vader would grant him time.

Vader didn’t know how much time the boy would have, though. Head wounds were unpredictable, and Luke would probably regain his memory soon enough. But perhaps he could build a strong relationship with the boy, and once Luke remembered, he’d still want to stay with his father.

Vader could only hope that was the case.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, here we go. Once again, Vader and Luke are talking at cross purposes. And Luke doesn't believe Vader.

Luke looked around the officer’s quarters he’d been given. He’d heard the lock click behind his escort, and knew he wasn’t trusted, even if it looked like Vader believed Luke’s story, that he didn’t remember joining the Alliance.

Luke wasn’t sure how he’d gotten away with it, but he supposed his genuine confusion when he’d first woken up had helped. 

But…

Luke sighed and sat down at the small desk. He didn’t know what Vader was trying to do. Honestly, like Luke would really believe Vader was his father, not if he remembered everything. Luke nodded once, very slowly. That had to be it. Vader wanted Luke, for some reason, and a lie like that would allow him to build some sort of relationship with Luke, and by the time Luke “remembered”, he’d be too far in the Dark to care.

Well, that wasn’t going to happen. It was going to be a balancing act of epic proportions, but eventually Luke would escape and get back to the Alliance, with quite the wild story to tell his friends. He wasn’t sure if they’d believe him, but he couldn’t wait to tell them.

For now, he was unarmed, and Vader had his father’s lightsaber. He’d need to get Vader to trust him enough to return it. He didn’t want Vader to keep the lightsaber, and he would hate it if he had to abandon it. He would, as much as it burned, because it was more important that he get back to the Rebellion than save his father’s saber from the man who’d killed his father.

No matter that Vader was claiming to be his father. That was, of course, complete nonsense. There was nothing for it but to pretend to believe it. Anakin Skywalker had died by Vader’s hand and now Vader was trying to claim his son. Luke would appear to go along with it, but he wasn’t about to allow Vader to get away with it in the end.

Luke didn’t know what to expect, but Vader no doubt wanted to train Luke and probably Turn him. If Luke could just… innocently not use his anger, maybe he could get enough training out of this to escape. It was risky, Luke didn’t know much about the Force or about what it might actually mean to Turn, but it was possible. Luke took a shuddering breath. He didn’t know enough to know if that was possible, or if he’d slip. And he was pretending to know even less. Everything he did know was telling him to get away, as quick as possible, but he couldn’t. He was still injured, weaponless, and Vader was keeping a close eye on him.

As if just thinking the name summoned him, Luke felt Vader’s presence focus on Luke. After a second, where Luke knew Vader was doing… something… Vader returned his attention to whatever he had been doing.

Luke let out a breath he didn’t realize he was holding. Luke truly wasn’t up to trying too much with the Force, not with the headache he still had. And that was probably a good thing, since he wasn’t supposed to know anything about the Force.

Oh Sandmother but this was going to be so hard!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Vader wanted to be with his son, but he had duties to attend to. He had to keep up appearances, or his Master would know Vader was planning something. So he kept up appearances and did his job. His mind bent toward Luke’s every so often, as Luke waited in his new quarters. The boy was thinking hard, and Vader could feel it a couple of times when he made decisions. What those decisions might be, Vader couldn’t tell. 

Finally, though, it was shift change, and also normally the time he returned to his chambers. He kept up appearances until he got off the turbolift and headed for Luke’s quarters, not his own.

He stopped and talked to the guards outside Luke’s door for a moment, then entered. Luke was sitting at the desk and fiddling with the padd. 

“How are you, Luke?” Vader asked as the door closed behind him.

Luke looked up at him. Something flashed across his face for a second before he sighed. “I still have a bit of a headache,” he said. “But I’m not… as scattered as I was.”

“Good,” Vader said. He sat down on the second chair and studied Luke for a moment. “And your memories?”

Luke grimaced. “Nothing new. I did check the date, and you’re right, it’s been about a year and a half.”

Vader inclined his head. “I did not think your uncle would buy droids that often, but it is good to have that confirmed.”

“How did you know when we bought droids?” Luke asked. “Did Uncle Owen tell you?”

Vader froze for a moment before he relaxed. He should have expected this question. “Those droids were actually owned by a Rebel,” Vader said. “One of them- the astromech, I suspect, though I never got confirmation- was carrying intelligence that was vital to both sides of the war. My men were searching for them”

Luke’s eyes went wide. “What?”

Vader made a decision and sighed. “Yes,” he said. “I don’t know the whole story, Luke, but I’ll tell you everything I do know.” 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It took several hours for Vader to describe the last year and a half from his perspective, but Luke would give him credit. While he was definitely speaking from an Imperial’s perspective, he wasn’t telling any lie that Luke could detect.

“Why tell me all of this?” Luke finally asked, after Vader summed up what happened when Luke was captured. “I mean… I’m… not exactly…”

“I don’t want to lie to you, my son,” Vader said. “And you will regain your memories eventually, and you would know I was lying then. This way, you’ll have one more reason to trust me once you do remember.”

Luke scowled. “So it’s a tactic?”

“No. Or not entirely. I want you to trust me, but I don’t want to lie to you, either. There will be things I won’t answer, especially military secrets, but I’ll tell you that. Despite your amnesia, you are still a Rebel officer. More, you’re a very smart one. Until you regain your memories and then decide to stay with me, I can’t fully trust you won’t try to get that information to your criminal friends.”

Luke tilted his head in thought. That actually made sense. If Luke couldn’t find any lies in Vader’s explanation and story, than he might believe the one lie about parentage. 

“What are you thinking, Luke?” Vader asked.

Luke jumped. “Just that it makes sense,” he finally said. “So… I’m… do you know why I joined the Rebellion?” he asked, barely managing to remember not to say “alliance.”

Vader shifted. “I don’t know for certain,” he warned. “But I believe it is because of what happened at your farm.”

Luke was unable to control his flinch, grateful in a distant way that Vader had told him about that, so he didn’t have to pretend not to know. Vader reached out and set his hand on Luke’s shoulder, clearly trying to be comforting.

It took all of Luke’s strength not to shrug his hand off. He couldn’t do anything about it, not if he wanted to hide his memories from Vader. Or rather, hide that he still had his memories from Vader. He had to let Vader act like a father- or at least like what Vader thought a father should act. 

“I think you need something to distract yourself,” Vader said.

Luke sighed. “I’m not allowed,” he said. “Remember, the medic-”

“Coric,” Vader interrupted. “Their names are important.”

Luke paused. “Um…” 

Vader glanced down at him. “I suppose you would have no reason to know,” he said. “Coric, and a few others, are clone veterans. They’ve been my men for a very long time, and in all that time, they’ve always appreciated it when a non-clone uses their names.”

Ah. Luke had been too out of it to recognize Coric’s face in the medbay. It made sense. Those clones who had joined the Alliance were the same way. He nodded. “I’ll remember.” He grimaced after he said it. “Anyway, Coric said I wasn’t cleared for any- and I quote- ‘Skywalker antics’.”

Vader shifted and moved his hand off Luke’s shoulder. For some reason, Luke was sure Vader was amused. “He has far too much experience with those,” Vader rumbled. “No, I thought you would like to learn a bit more about the Force.”

Luke bit his lip. “That’s… something you were talking about it. You said I used to Force to destroy the Death Star, and that it’s… strong, in the Skywalker family?”

Vader inclined his head. “Yes. And I don’t understand how you got to be so old without Obi-Wan training you.”

Luke bit his lip, but it was useless intelligence now, so he ran with it. “Obi-Wan? That’s the name the girl in the message was saying,” he said.

“And you don’t know him?” Vader asked. “You were traveling with him before you and that smuggler broke the Princess out.”

Luke sighed. “No. She was asking for Obi-Wan Kenobi, I thought he might be related to Old Ben Kenobi, a hermit who lives- lived, I suppose, about 60 klicks from the homestead.”

“Ben was a name he used occasionally when he didn’t want people to immediately know who he was,” Vader said.

Luke nodded. “Then I suppose I do know him.” Somehow, he didn’t put that in past tense. He didn’t understand how people undercover maintained it without stress- this was harder than it seemed.

“Did, Luke,” Vader corrected, almost gently.

Luke nodded. “He is… he was always nice to me.”

“Good,” Vader said. “In any case, I can teach you a few things about the Force, things you can practice even as you recover from a concussion.”

Despite himself, Luke was interested.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm still not sure how many more parts this will have, I'll let you all know when I know.
> 
> (Also, Luke, your plan might not work the way you want it to. It's dangerous, if nothing else.)


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay on this chapter, real life got... well, real, for a few days. I hope you all like this part!

Vader would have sighed if he could. It was not going as well as he would have liked. Oh, Luke was healing rapidly, though there was no real sign of returning memories and Coric wasn’t going to clear him for strenuous activity until the memories returned. And Luke was smart, so very smart and he picked up simple Force techniques easily. But somehow, despite his ignorance, Luke just somehow seemed to know that to use his anger would be to open himself up to the Dark Side- even if he didn’t seem to know what the Dark Side was.

Maybe he had some subconscious memories of whatever Obi-Wan had managed to teach him? Vader frowned under his mask. That didn’t seem right. He opened himself to the Force, in the hopes of seeing what was holding Luke back.

Luke was so strong already, he would only be stronger if he let himself use the Dark Side. Vader had to convince the boy to Turn, if only to save himself.

“Luke,” Vader said as Luke allowed the small balls he was lifting to drop.

Luke looked over at him in curiosity.

“I know you’re frustrated by your situation,” Vader said. “And angry. But every time I teach you something you take the time to calm down. Why?”

Luke paused, a strange look on his face. He ran his hand through his hair as he thought. “It’s… just right?” he half asked, half said. Then he nodded. “I just know it’s the right thing to do,” he said. “That I shouldn’t use the Force when I’m angry.”

“Why not?” Vader asked.

Luke looked to the side. “I…” He took a deep breath. “Because I know that’s what’s right,” he said.

The truth, but not all of it. Vader narrowed his eyes. “Luke,” he repeated. “What are you not telling me?” he asked.

Luke clinched his fists, then took a deep breath. “I don’t know what you’re asking,” he said.

And that was a flat out lie, Vader was certain of it. That could only mean…

“You remember,” Vader said. It was the only thing that made sense.

Luke flinched, then straightened. “I do,” he said. “So you can stop your act.”

Vader tilted his head. “Act?” he said.

“Yes,” Luke snapped. “I know who you really are, Vader, so you can stop pretending, and you can’t take advantage of my ignorance anymore.”

“Take advantage…” Vader trailed off. “You don’t believe me,” Vader said. “And you’ve been careful since I started teaching you. Luke, how long have you remembered?”

Luke smiled in vicious satisfaction. “I never forgot,” he said.

Vader blinked in shock. “And you believe…”

“I know the truth, Vader,” Luke hissed. “You killed my father, and you killed Ben, and your men killed my Aunt and Uncle.”

Vader closed his eyes for a moment. It was not ideal, no, but Luke was here with him. He could overcome this. “Luke,” he started.

“No,” Luke snapped. “You don’t have the right to call me that.”

“I have every right, my son,” Vader retorted. “Despite the lies Obi-Wan told you, I have only told you the truth. You are my son. I was born Anakin Skywalker. _I am your father_ , and you will accept that.”

Luke shook his head hard. “You told me the truth so that I’d believe you,” he argued. “You tried to Turn me when I didn’t know the truth, and so when I remembered, I wouldn’t care.”

Vader flexed his hands. “Luke, search your feelings, if you just reached out into the Force, you would know it to be true.”

Luke paused, as Vader had hoped he would.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Luke took a deep breath, trying to calm down. Vader was still trying to maintain his lie, and now he wanted him to…

Luke reached out into the Force. “Tell me a lie,” he ordered. “One I know is a lie.”

Vader paused. “You did not destroy the Death Star,” he said. There was a resonance in the Force in what he had said. Luke just hoped this would work.

“Tell me a truth I know is true,” Luke ordered. He wasn’t sure what he was doing, but if it proved how Vader was lying, it’d be worth it.

Vader paused again. “You are a member of the Rebel Alliance,” he said. The Force resonated again, and it was different.

Luke narrowed his eyes and focused his attention on Vader. “What was your birth name?” he asked.

“Anakin Skywalker,” Vader said. That felt just like the truth Vader told.

Luke staggered back.

Vader took a quick step forward and caught him by the shoulder. “You are still healing, you shouldn’t overdue it.”

Luke barely heard him, staring up into the mask Vader… the mask his father wore. He’d been pretending to believe this for over two weeks now, and yet… the truth was hard enough to bear, even so.

“Why didn’t he tell me?” Luke whispered. “You didn’t kill my father, you are my father. Why didn’t he tell me?”

He felt Vader’s confusion. “Who, Luke?” Vader asked.

“Ben,” Luke said. “He didn’t tell me. He lied to me. Why would he do that?”

Vader did… something, in the Force, and Luke felt himself calming down slightly. Vader settled down on the ground, in the position he’d taken when he was teaching Luke something. He pushed Luke down at the same time. “He likely thought he wasn’t. The Jedi teach that when someone Turns, they are effectively dead. He would have thought that I was dead, in a spiritual sense.”

Luke heard his words, even understood them, but they were distant. They didn’t mean that much. Not with the understanding that the last year and a half of his had been a lie. Not all of it- not Leia and Han and his other friends. But who he was and who he’d been fighting…

Vader seemed to understand and just waited. His breathing was the only sound in the room as Luke wrestled with what he’d learned and figured out. Finally Luke took a deep breath and stared up into the eyes of Vader’s mask.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Vader watched as his son tried to control himself. He wasn’t doing well with the sudden understanding. And if Luke had been armoring himself with what he’d thought was the truth for two weeks now, then Vader could definitely understand why they boy was struggling with this.

Two weeks, Luke had hidden the truth from him. Two weeks. Vader wanted to be angry, but really, he was proud. Luke had spent two weeks thinking he was being held captive by his enemy, and had somehow hid that fact from everyone. Even his guards- clones all of them, and good men too- hadn’t seen anything odd. Even Vader hadn’t realized the truth.

His son was brilliant to have pulled that off. But now… now he was struggling. Vader watched as Luke seemed to fold in on himself and just waited. He studied Luke as he did, happy to do that once more.

Vader would never tire of watching his son. Finally, though, Luke took a deep breath and somehow met Vader’s eyes through the mask. “When did you learn about me?”

“When Fett returned and gave me your name,” Vader said. “After our confrontation on Cymoon 1, but before the time you rammed me.”

Luke sighed. “And you…”

Vader held up his hand. “Luke, when I learned you lived, I was… it was one of the best moments of my life. I thought you had died with your mother, and to know that you hadn’t… I rejoiced when I learned that. The only thing that would have made that moment better is if you had been there with me.”

Luke looked stunned. “So you… you don’t just want me for my power?”

“Never,” Vader said. “I want to teach you, because the power you have shouldn’t be wasted, and I believe that together we can overcome anything, but you are my son, and that is far more important.”

Luke shuddered at that, and Vader felt something… an old hurt, some sort of longing…

“Luke,” Vader said. “If I had known you were alive, I would have come for you.”

Luke shuddered again and pressed his hands against his thighs. “I always thought…”

Vader slowly reached out, giving Luke time to lean away. “You are more important to me than anything, my son,” he said as he brushed Luke’s hair out of his eyes.

This seemed to hit Luke hard if the way he quickly scrubbed his face was any indication. “I never thought anyone would be able to call me that. This past two weeks, I thought you were taking the name from my father.”

“I never thought I would be able to call anyone that,” Vader revealed. “And you were very good at keeping your feelings to yourself.”

Luke just slumped. “What do I do now?” he muttered, seemingly to himself.

“Let me teach you, Luke,” Vader said. “You need to learn about the Force.”

“But I…” Luke closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “I can’t,” he said. He sounded like he was trying to convince himself. “I am a Rebel, and I want the Empire to fall.”

Vader rolled his eyes. “Luke, the Empire is…”

“Worse for even Tatooine than the Republic was,” Luke said. He had a very familiar expression on his face. The last time Vader had seen that look, Padmé had been arguing in the Senate.

“Perhaps it is, but together we can change that,” Vader said. “The Emperor no longer cares what happens to anyone but himself. His rule is no longer in the best interests of the galaxy. But he is too powerful for you to face him untrained.”

Luke stared at him in shock.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, I did want to write more fake amnesia shenanigans, but the Skywalker men were just not cooperating with me. Vader said that he was going to figure it out and Luke decided to have his “why didn’t you tell me” breakdown now, thank you very much.
> 
> Any lines you recognize were generally stolen and somewhat reworded from Empire Strikes Back.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This part fought me. I wanted it to go a certain way, and it pretty much demanded that it go the completely opposite way. I pouted, put it on time out, and it still wouldn’t write the way it was supposed to.
> 
> So fine. Here. Skywalkers want to be stubborn, they get what they ask for.

Luke took a deep breath, hoping to settle himself so he could concentrate. He still wasn’t sure how he felt about- about everything- but he had to learn. Vader (his father) wasn’t sure how much longer he could keep Luke a secret, and he said he wanted Luke to be ready.

Luke was absolutely certain he would never be ready to meet the Emperor. His father (Vader) had explained who the Emperor really was, and told him about the Emperor’s abilities, but Luke was sure that nothing less that direct experience would be enough to prepare for the inevitable confrontation. 

Vader was sure if Luke joined the Sith, he’d be strong enough to face the Emperor.

Luke didn’t like it. He’d heard so much about the Jedi, and Anakin Skywalker, from so many different people. He still wanted to be like the man he’d heard about, he wanted to help the people like that man had helped people.

He wasn’t about to tell Vader that, though. Vader was still, in some ways, that man, but he was twisted and Dark. He wanted to claim Luke as both son and apprentice. And at least a part of Luke wanted that. 

Luke shook his head. That was the despairing 5-year-old, so sure that his parents had abandoned him, still longing for either of them, but Luke couldn’t make his choice based on that. He had to think beyond himself. His choice would change the galaxy.

Luke hated thinking like that, but he knew it was true. There were so few people left who knew they could use the Force, even fewer that had had any training, that every choice was important.

He wanted, still, to be a Jedi. To be a Jedi as they had been described to him by others. He wanted to learn the Force. He wanted to be with his father. Vader, his father, was perfectly willing to train Luke, had, in fact, continued training Luke while Luke struggled with everything that had happened in the last month. Vader wanted Luke to Turn, yes, but he wasn’t really pushing Luke. That might change the longer Luke stayed here. Patience wasn’t exactly a Skywalker strength, after all. 

The door opened behind Luke, and Luke opened his eyes, vaguely surprised to realize he’d closed them. Vader settled down in front of him. “I can feel your turmoil from the bridge, Luke,” Vader said.

“I’m sorry, Father,” Luke started. 

Vader held up his hand. “It is not a bad thing, young one,” he said. “I’m glad you’re taking this seriously. It shouldn’t be an easy decision.”

Luke paused. “How did you make it?”

Vader didn’t say anything for a long moment. “Under duress,” he finally said. “And only after a traumatic experience.” 

Luke dearly wanted to know exactly what that was, but he could sense that Vader wouldn’t tell him anything else.

“Then why do you think I would want to?”

Vader tilted his head. “I… had hope that you would want to be at my side. That I would be able to break through whatever lies Obi-Wan told you. I had no idea that he would say that I had killed your father. That alone…” he shook his head.

“I do want to stay with you,” Luke said. “It’s just… it’s not just what Ben taught me. It’s everything that happened since Uncle Owen bought a pair of droids. It’s Alderaan, and the massacres I’ve seen, everything the Empire does.”

Vader nodded slowly. “I plan to change things once I am Emperor,” he said. “You are right, there is a lot wrong with the Empire as it is. But the Emperor doesn’t think so.”

Luke sighed. “And then…” he grimaced. “I just don’t know, Father. It’s… I’ve felt the Dark Side, it’s so cold.”

Vader didn’t say anything.

Luke looked down. “And then there’s my friends. I can’t just betray them.”

At that Vader reached out and gently gripped Luke’s shoulder. “Your friends wouldn’t understand, no matter what you choose, Luke,” he said. “They would turn on you, for being yourself. If they knew you were my son, some of them would even kill you in revenge.”

“I know,” Luke groaned. He didn’t want to think about it, however true it might be. “But even if they- if most of them- wouldn’t stay loyal to me, that doesn’t mean I can’t…”

“Trust me, my son, that will only hurt you.” Vader sounded soft, regretful, like he didn’t want to say it to Luke.

Luke clinched his fists. “Father… I…” Luke took a deep breath. “You said the Emperor will, if he doesn’t kill me outright, want me to replace you. Can we make him believe that I am Falling?”

Vader shook his head. “No, my son,” he said. “That would be a temporary measure and in any case I won’t let you do that.”

Luke scowled. He could feel the Force focusing on this moment and knew he had to make his choice soon. He just didn’t want to chose between his Father and his friends. 

And yet… he’d wanted, from the time he understood the difference between Father and Uncle, he’d wanted his father to want him. And now he did. He wanted Luke, and he’d always wanted Luke, since he’d known Luke would exist.

“If… if we kill the Emperor, can we change the Empire?” Luke asked. “I know you said…”

“I plan to,” Vader said. “It needs to change. Sith, yes, but not this evil.”

Luke smiled and ran his hand through his hair. He opened himself up to the Force once again. “I will join you, Father,” he said. “As your son, and as your apprentice.” He would have knelt down, but they were both already in meditative positions. He settled for bowing his head.

He felt Vader’s wild joy as he spoke and smiled as well. Vader gently lifted Luke’s chin so that he could look at Luke’s eyes.

“My son,” Vader said. “And together, we will rule the galaxy.”

The Force shuddered into a new configuration.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah. Luke was determined to join his father. Fine then. Let's see what that gets you.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, the Skywalker boys are still being difficult, so we end this story with Leia's POV.

Leia Organa didn’t want to admit it, but she was losing hope. Luke had been gone for over three months now, and thought some part of her was sure he was alive, the rational side said he wasn’t.

The rest of her wasn’t listening to that rational side, but there was nothing she could do about that. She knew, deep inside, that Luke was alive. She also knew, deep inside, that he was lost to her.

She hadn’t shared either bit of knowledge with anyone, because she knew it would make her sound crazy.

Han Solo kept eyeing her as if he knew what she felt, but she didn’t think he did. He’d been sticking close to her since they’d lost Luke, though. He’d held her on nights when she wept for all she’d lost, and she returned the favor by not pointing out that not all the tears were her own.

But now, they were separated from the Fleet and waiting for the broadcast from Coruscant on the Falcon. Imperial Center, rather, but Leia would never call it that. They’d been on a mission and received word of the broadcast just before they entered hyperspace. There was no way from them to make it back to the Fleet before it aired, so Han had dropped them out of hyperspace and they’d waited.

She felt… cold. She wasn’t sure why, except that she’d felt cold for a while. It wasn’t actually a matter of the environment, she’d felt the same chill in space and on a planet during the summer. It was something internal, and she had no idea what it might be.

She shivered and Han carefully placed his arm around her, offering her warmth. It didn’t chase away the chill, not entirely, but it helped. And it wasn’t the physical warmth that helped. She didn’t understand what was going on, but… Han helped.

“Command have anything to say about this broadcast?”

Leia shook her head. “No. No one can find anything about it. We know it’s from the throne room, and that’s it.”

“I wonder what our glorious Emperor wants to tell the masses this time,” Han said, managing, as he so often did, to make every word sound either scornful or sarcastic.

Leia smiled. “Probably nothing good. I’m just worried it’ll be an execution, and it’ll be…” Luke’s, she thinks, but doesn’t finish.

“I know,” Han said. “Me too.”

There had been no increase in defeats since Luke was captured, but that was mostly because they’d immediately changed locations and codes when it happened. Leia had no illusions of how they’d treat Luke, Jedi apprentice and destroyer of the Death Star.

Three months was enough time to wring every bit of actionable intelligence out of someone, and prepare for an execution.

Leia was going to watch this, because she owed it to Luke to watch his last minutes. If that was what this was.

The holoscreen crackled and the view switched from the commentators they’d been ignoring to the throne room.

For a second, Leia wasn’t sure what she was seeing, just that it was wrong, but then she realized why it was wrong. Vader was the one sitting on the throne, and the cloaked and hooded man behind him wasn’t the Emperor.

“People of the Empire,” Vader began.

Suddenly, Leia knew it was not an execution. This was a coronation.

“Palpatine is dead,” she said, absolutely certain. 

Han sat up straight. “You sure?” he asked.

“Yes,” Leia said.

They returned their attention to Vader’s speech. He was talking about Palpatine’s life, and Leia filed it away as he did. She’d analyze it later, for now she could just be happy that another one of the monsters that had destroyed Alderaan was dead.

“And now, I must introduce my son and heir,” Emperor Vader finally said. 

Leia and Han both leaned forward. “He has a son?” Han asked. “That tin can has a son?”

Leia shushed him absently. 

The man standing behind Vader’s throne moved around. There was something familiar about the way he moved. And then he folded back the hood of his cloak.

Leia stared into the face of a man she’d cared for, a man she thought she’d known.

“Luke?” Han’s strangled question told her she wasn’t imagining it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, I hope you all enjoyed this little universe. I had fun with it, that was for sure.
> 
> (Also, don’t hate me. This was how the story needed to end.)

**Author's Note:**

> I'm hoping for three or four parts for this little story, but we'll see how it goes.


End file.
